A Beating Heart
by Okori Yo
Summary: War can bring the most unlikely of people together. A town under enemy occupation isn't always the safest place to be, but sometimes it's the place where love can be found. AU, eventual Silver/Wally.
1. Part 1

Part 1

Wally bent over as another coughing fit struck him, one hand covering his mouth and the other braced against the wall for support. Luckily, it was only a medium fit, and was able to breathe again after about twenty seconds. Gasping slightly, he straightened up and realized he wasn't alone.

One of the occupying soldiers stood in the street a few feet away, the light from the flashlight they held between them highlighting the red hair that fell to the soldier's shoulders.

"G-Good evening, s-sir." Wally stammered, dropping his gaze to the cracked pavement. Not showing respect might get him in trouble.

"What are you doing out here?" the soldier snapped, revealing himself to be both male and a few years older than Wally. Although there was no curfew imposed, it was an unwritten rule that citizens didn't venture out after dark.

"Just out for some air, sir." That, and he wanted to let Ralts out for some exercise. It had been nearly a week since she had gotten any meaningful time outside her Pokeball.

"Some air, huh?" the solider repeated, marching up to the teen and grabbing his chin. Sharp grey eyes bore into his face, searching to for any hint of dishonesty. "You sick or something?"

"Sort of, sir. I've been ill nearly all my life." He had gotten better living in the fresh air after being sent to the small town, but the stress and strain of the war arriving on his doorstep had brought everything back. At least Ralts had done her best to help him cope over the six long years of occupation.

The solider didn't respond, simply releasing his chin and doing a slow circuit around the teen. "What's your name, kid?"

"Wally, I.D. Number 96. Dependant of Household 45." he said automatically as the solider circled him again.

"What kind of Pokemon you got there, kid?" the solider asked, apparently ignoring his answer and coming to a halt in front of him. The teen stiffened, fear flooding through him. The other male had noticed Ralt's Pokeball!

"A R-Ralts, sir." he murmured, eyes fixed on the cracked pavement yet again. What would happen now? Would Ralts be taken away from him? Others in the town had been allowed to keep their Pokemon, but Ralts were rare and powerful.

"Hand it over." the solider ordered, and Wally did his best to hold back tears as he removed the miniaturized Pokeball from his pocket and placed it in the waiting hand. He had hidden her for so long from the people occupying his town, and now his worst nightmare had come true.

"Take care of her, please? Please, sir?" He was begging and he hated it, but he didn't want to see his beloved Ralts shipped off to the front lines and treated like just another tool of war.

"Hmph, so you're the sentimental type." the solider muttered, and Wally raised his eyes to stare at him in growing horror. Noticing his gaze, the older teen snapped, "Oh, don't look so scared! A Ralts will make a good addition to my team - I won't treat it too badly." Adjusting his cap, the solider added with a sigh, "Now go home, kid. You're holding up my patrol."

Nodding silently, Wally shuffled off in the direction of home, coughing weakly as tears streamed down his face. Even with Ralts being taken, he didn't hate the solider, since the older teen was just doing his job and following orders. But knowing that didn't lessen the pain.

"Hey." Wally looked up from the book he was pretending to read to see the solider who had taken Ralts standing over him. Several weeks had passed since that incident, and this was one of the few times he had gone outside the house. Even the bright spring sunshine seemed dimmer without his friend.

"What is it, sir?" he asked dully, flipping the book closed.

The solider looked uncomfortable for a moment, then unclipped a Pokeball from his belt and tossed it into Wally's lap. "Take it."

The teen looked between the Pokeball and the solider, confusion mingling with hope. "Is…is this…?" he asked breathlessly, picking the ball up and cupping it gently in his hands. It couldn't be possible, could it? Was he actually getting Ralts back?

The soldier remained stubbornly silent with a cross look on his face, so Wally gently released the Pokemon inside.

"La~ Kirlia!" The Pokemon exclaimed as it materialized, its one visible eye sparkling with happiness.

"R-Ralts? Is that you?" Wally asked shakily, feeling the familiar tug on his mind from the Psychic-type. Kirlia nodded and quickly embraced him, emotions flowing across the re-established link between them.

Wiping tears from his eyes, the teen turned to the solider still standing beside him, noticing that he was pointedly ignoring the reunion. "Thank you, sir. But why?" Ralts - Kirlia - certainly wasn't useless, and it was clear that she had gone through some form of training.

"That Pokemon wouldn't listen to a word I said. Completely disobedient. Disobedience equals weakness, and I hate weak Pokemon." the solider said stiffly, staring towards the other end of the town.

Following his gaze, Wally saw several covered trucks moving slowly into the settlement, a ragged line of soldiers follow them. Some were letting their Pokemon carry them or hitching rides in battered Jeeps, but most were on foot. He frowned and looked away, knowing what they signified - a battle had been fought recently near Mauville. The city had been under siege for five years now, and his town was being used as secondary base as well as a safe place for wounded soldiers to recover. Although the occupying army seemed to have taken heavy casualties, it was impossible to tell which side had won. Verdanturf got little outside information aside from propaganda and a little news from underground resistance, and it would be foolish to ask.

"T-Thanks again, sir." he muttered quietly in an effort to break the silence that had descended on them.

"What? Oh. Whatever, kid." the solider said dismissively. Risking another look, Wally saw his attention was focused on another solider running towards them.

"Captain! You're needed at HQ." the woman called, slowing to a walk as she neared the tree. A blue bandana was worn in place of the cap most of the other soldiers sported, signifying she was a former Team Aqua member. More interesting to the teen was the fact that the solider with him was a captain - his uniform was just the basic one and bore no medals or signs of his rank.

Realizing the female solider was eying Kirlia greedily, Wally quickly recalled her, dropping his eyes to the grass. He didn't want to lose his friend a second time, not when he had so recently gotten her back.

"That Pokemon is useless to us, so get lost! I'll be back in a minute." the captain growled at his subordinate.

"Yes, sir!" she responded, and the teen watched her boots as she turned and strode briskly off towards the centre of town.

"Kid." The sharp word made Wally freeze, but he stopped himself from looking up into those hard grey eyes. "Keep yourself out of trouble." the captain said curtly before following the other solider, not even waiting for a response. The teen slowly lifted his eyes to stare uneasily after them. Was the older teen protecting him? It sounded like that might be the case, but why? He was just a regular citizen with an apparently un-trainable Kirlia. Had he done something to attract attention? That was bad, if it meant more midnight searches of his uncle's house and suspicion from their neighbours. Raising a fist to his mouth to cover a cough, Wally hoped the captain would ignore him from now on. He didn't want any trouble. He just wanted to survive this war and live his own life.

"Out for more air, kid?" the sarcastic voice of the red-headed captain made him freeze in the alleyway, cursing his luck. Well, there was no point in lying, so Wally turned slowly to face the older teen and spoke as calmly as he could.

"No, Capt- er, sir. I…I was hoping to get some training in." Such activity by the resident trainers of the town wasn't illegal, but it was frowned upon as a sign of possible resistance activity.

"At this time of night?"

"Kirlia is a rare Pokemon, sir. If I do it during the day, someone might see me." he explained, staring at the ground. It was stressful enough to walk around in the daylight with the miniaturized Pokeball in his pocket. Training in the open was impossible.

"So you're willing to risk getting arrested as a resistance member? Others might call that bravery, but I call it stupidity. Right?" the captain said with a snort.

"Snee." Surprised by the unexpected answer, Wally looked up to see a Sneasel crouched on the older teen's shoulder. The Pokemon stared back at him, then sniffed derisively and looked away. Clearly, it agreed with its master about the state of his intelligence.

"Come on." the captain said, turning away and starting to walk down the alley. When the teen didn't move, he looked back and sighed. "Listen kid, I'm not going to force you to come with me. But it's either come with me or risk getting caught by another patrol."

Seeing he didn't have much choice in the matter, Wally reluctantly nodded and fell into place a few steps behind the older teen. They walked in silence, and he slowly realized that he wasn't getting an escort back to his uncle's home - he was being taken on a patrol of the town. "Um…" he started, then stopped. Would it be wise to ask a question?

"You can go home once we get near your place. Or…" the captain hesitated, then finished stiffly, "Or you can keep on with me. I don't mind if you do."

Wally mulled over the situation. He kind of liked being with this solider - he wasn't overly mean to the younger male, and while the sudden interest was worrying, it was sort of nice. Mostly the soldiers either ignored the townsfolk or ordered them around like they were Pokemon.

"I'll stay, sir." he said quietly, seeing the Sneasel glance back and glower at him before facing forwards again. The captain simply nodded and kept walking.

Somehow, joining the captain for his patrol became just another habit. They were almost always at night, and the rounds never lasted much past midnight, but Wally quickly adjusted to the schedule. His uncle caught him sneaking back in one night and demanded to be told what was going on, but once informed, hesitantly agreed to allow his nephew to keep going out. The neighbours probably knew, but no one said anything. As long as it didn't result in extra favours for Wally's family or trouble for themselves, they saw no need to interfere.

"What's your name, kid?" the captain asked one night as they sought shelter under a tree from a sudden summer shower. They were both getting dripped on, but it was better than nothing.

"Wally, sir." He didn't mind introducing himself again, since he sensed the question was asked with the intention to actually remember his name this time.

"Wally, huh…? You can't be much younger than me, then." the older teen mused softly, adding as an afterthought, "I'm nineteen, by the way."

"I'm sixteen." Wally hesitated for a moment, then ventured, "What about you, sir? You must have a name."

"Yeah. I'm Silver. Call me that, would you? You're not with us, so you using 'sir' sees a bit dumb." he answered after a few moments of watching the rain fall.

"Alright then…Silver." Wally had been mentally calling Silver 'sir' for so long that using anything else to refer to him by felt very weird. They stood in silence after that, both leaning against the tree trunk and waiting for the rain to pass.

It happened one moonless night. Wally was walking with Silver as usual when the few streetlights allowed to be lit sputtered and went out. "A blackout? But there was none scheduled…" the younger teen muttered in confusion. Control of New Mauville had been in the hands of the occupying army for several years, and while the lights generally remained on, there were times when blackouts were required.

The both stopped to see if it was just a temporary problem at the plant, but the electricity didn't return. "Must have been an attack." Silver said, glancing in the direction of the power plant. "They happen from time to time. You guys normally don't hear about them." he added by way of explanation, then said hurriedly, "But you didn't hear that from me."

"Of course not." Wally replied, the darkness hiding the faint smile that tugged at his lips. He had grown to like walking with Silver, especially now that the captain saw him as someone worthy to talk to. They didn't discuss the war much, sticking to safer topics like Pokemon training.

"Hmph. We'll have to wait and see what happens, I guess." Silver muttered, moving forward again. Wally fell in step beside him, but had hardly gone more than a few steps before a small figure appeared on the ground in front of them.

"Where's the trouble?" the captain asked sharply as Sneasel bounded to his shoulder. The Pokemon didn't reply, merely pointing towards northwest. Rusturf Tunnel was in that direction, in use by the occupation army and under constant guard at both ends.

"What? An attack at the tunnel?" Silver demanded, staring off in that direction, searching for signs of battle.

"Sneasel, Snee." the Pokemon responded with a shake of its head, adjusting the angle of its claw.

"Up? An air raid from Rustboro?" the captain asked, getting a nod in return. "Makes sense." he admitted after a moment of reflection. Wally just nodded. Rustboro had been captured during the opening months of the Hoenn invasion just over seven years ago, and it had been that act combined with the boy's deteriorating health that had finalized his parent's decision to send him to Verdanturf Town in hopes that he would be safe there in case the war spread. Ultimately, they had been wrong, and he hadn't had contact with his family for six years.

"There they are." Silver murmured after a moment, eyes fixed on the nearby mountains and the starry sky above them. Wally strained his eyes to see what the older teen was look again, and eventually noticed black specks moving against the night sky.

"Are those…?" he asked as Silver removed a pair of night binoculars from an inner pocket. Looking through them, the captain regarded to approaching Pokemon in silence. "How many are there? Are you sure they're on your side? What-" Wally cut himself off, blushing furiously. What was he doing, asking a captain for information? It wasn't his place to know any of this, and he had forgotten that. Forgotten that Silver was an enemy, not a friend.

"There's lots. Way more than I expected. And yeah, they're our troops." Silver responded quietly, putting the binoculars away. He didn't seem angry at all with Wally's out-of-line questioning, but the teen remained silent all the same.

The captain sighed, then raised the radio clipped to his belt. "Captain Silver to Base, do you copy?"

_'Base here. What is it, Captain?'_

"Air raid sighted from Rustboro. Repeat, air raid from Rustboro."

_'Copy that. Do you know the destination?'_

Silver paused, looking to the northwest. Wally looked that way as well, noticing that the black specks had formed into almost-visible Pokemon, and that there were a lot more of them than before. "Destination is unknown, possibly Mauville. Repeat, destination unknown, possibly Mauville." The older teen lowered the radio and muttered absently, "I guess they're serious this time…"

_'Copy that, Captain Silver. Resume your patrol and standby for further orders. Base out.'_

Silver put the radio away, then removed several Pokeballs from his belt and opened them. When the blinding flash faded, a Gengar stood in front of them, a Crobat hovering next to it. "Sneasel, patrol the north side of town. Gengar, take the south, and Crobat the west. Report back if you see anything suspicious." he ordered tensely. Sneasel saluted and bounded away while Gengar just grinned and vanished in the opposite direction. Crobat lingered for a moment, eyes fixed on Wally, then nodded and flew off.

"S-Should I go home?" Wally asked nervously, glancing between the approaching horde of Pokemon and the captain.

"You probably should, but…I'd like it if you'd stay." Silver replied slowly, not looking at him. The teen hesitated, torn. It was safer to leave, but he wanted to stay with the captain for some reason. The faint beating of wings distracted him, however, and he looked up to see a whole bunch of Pokemon flying towards him. It was hard to tell because of the darkness, but Wally thought he could see Pokemon from the Kanto and Johto regions mixed in with native ones. It was a sign of just how powerful the occupying army really was.

At some unknown signal, the large group split into three parts: one flying to the north, one swinging south, and the remainder altering position slightly so they were coming directly from the west. "It's a pincer move," Silver explained. "Attack from three different sides at different times to catch the enemy off-guard and inflict as much damage as possible. It's a basic move, I'm surprised they're going with something so simple."

"I see." was all Wally could come up with as a response. He didn't really want to know about the details of warfare, but he wasn't about to tell the captain to stop.

The sound of wingbeats grew louder as the group from the west started to fly directly over Verdanturf. All Wally could do was stare silently upwards as Pokemon streamed past, both amazed and horrified at the power lurking within those beasts of war. If the army hadn't taken over the town, would those Pokemon be attacking his home right now? It was a question he was glad he didn't know the answer to.

Suddenly, a hand slipped into his, squeezing a bit too hard for his liking but comforting nonetheless. Wally didn't do anything except blush. Didn't look down, didn't pull away, didn't protest. For some reason, he didn't mind this. It helped to ground him from the destruction flying overhead.

They seemed to stand like that for hours, watching the Pokemon fly over. It wasn't long after the last creature had passed overhead that they heard the fighting start, could see the eastern horizon flicker and flash as the battles became more intense. Silver walked him home when he couldn't take it any longer.


	2. Part 2

Part 2

Mauville fell after a week of furious fighting, despite the harsh five year siege the city had endured. There were whispers that large parts of the city had been destroyed despite the occupation army's best efforts to keep damage to a minimum, but no one knew if that was the truth or just more resistance propaganda. What was true was the steady stream of refugees and wounded occupation soldiers moving through Verdanturf both day and night. Wally could hear the constant traffic from his bed, having fallen ill again the day after the attack had begun. It was nothing serious according to the town doctor, but he was advised to rest until he was fully recovered.

He lay awake one late summer night, the heat and the drone of patrolling helicopters over Rusturf Tunnel preventing him from falling asleep. A soft tap at his window made him sit up, heart pounding. Was it Silver? A resistance member looking for a place to hide? Sliding carefully out of bed and readying Kirlia's Pokeball, he crossed to the window as another tap sounded, this one slightly louder than before. Taking a deep breath, Wally pulled back the curtain.

"…Gengar?" he asked in incredulously, seeing the Pokemon wave back at him from the outside. What to do? Open the window and invite a strange Pokemon in, or ignore it and hope it when away? The ghost type made the decision for him, floating through the glass and frame like it wasn't even there.

Wally backed away, raising Kirlia's Pokeball in preparation for an attack.

"Gar! Gar, Gengar!" The Pokemon hissed softly, waving its hands and shaking its head vigorously. It then straightened and gave the occupation army salute, doffing an imaginary cap upon doing so.

"Are you Silver's Pokemon?" Wally asked suspiciously. He hadn't seen any of the other soldiers with a Gengar, but that didn't mean someone didn't have one. Its lower evolutions seemed to be a popular choice with a certain segment of the army. But why was it here?

"Gengar!" The Pokemon replied with a nod and a grin, then gestured towards the Pokeball he held and back towards itself several times.

Getting the message, the teen released Kirlia and asked softly, "Can you confirm that this is Silver's Gengar?" His Pokemon nodded and struck up a quiet conversation while Wally settled back on his bed, pulling a blanket around himself to keep warm.

Kirlia joined him a minute later, nodding and trilling, "Kirlia, la, la." The trust flowing across the mental link between them made him sigh and smile hesitantly at the Gengar.

"Sorry about that, I had to make sure. So, why are you here?"

Gengar accepted the apology with a grin and a wave of its hand, then pointed towards the window and back at the teen.

"Something's out there?" he guessed, getting a pleased nod. "It it Silver?" Gengar hesitated, then shook its head. Moving to the window, the Pokemon gestured to the lock and made a lifting motion.

"You want to open it?" Wally asked doubtfully. His bedroom was on the ground floor, so someone or something could climb inside if it was left open for too long. And he really didn't know what the night air would do for his health.

The ghost type spoke to Kirlia, who then turned to him and nodded once, silently telling him it was safe. "A-Alright…but be quick." he agreed with a slight frown. Gengar grinned and quickly flipped the lock, cracking the window open only long enough to grab something from the sill outside before closing and locking it.

"Gengar, gar." the Pokemon said rather proudly, floating over to Wally and presenting a plain white envelope.

"For me?" he asked in surprise, getting a wider grin and a nod back. "O-Okay…Um, thanks?" he stammered, accepting the envelope and examining it. Both sides were completely blank, with no sign of who might have sent it. Wally then realized the sender was obvious: _Silver_.

Opening the envelope hurriedly in an attempt to distract himself from his warm cheeks, the teen, unfolded the piece of paper that was inside, seeing a short note addressed to him. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to make out the words. "Where did I put that flashlight…?" he mumbled, looking away from the note and scanning his room. Turning on his bedside lamp was too much of a risk.

"Gar." Gengar replied, holding out a fist. After a moment, electricity began to crackle, surrounding the fist and providing a steady glow.

"Is that a TM attack?" he gasped, getting a beaming nod in return. Wally had heard of TMs, but any still left in the village had either been confiscated by the army or were being horded. Unfortunately, he had no way of guessing what the attack actually was, but it was still useful. "Thanks, Gengar! Just keep it low, I don't want to wake my relatives."

"Gar, Gengar." the Pokemon responded, floating up to hover by his shoulder to cast the best light. Now able to see clearly, the teen turned his attention to the note in his hands.

_Dear Wally,_

_ I'm sorry I haven't been able to come see you these past few weeks. As I am sure you well know, Mauville has fallen to our army and I have been kept busy organizing relief efforts and other essential tasks. While I am unable to return to Verdanturf at the moment, I hope to be back soon and attending to my regular duties. It would please me greatly to have you accompany me on my patrols again. Send a response back to me using one of HQ's Pidgey - Gengar will grant you access. _

_ - Captain Silver_

_P.S. I want to leave Gengar in your care for the moment, if your family allows it. He dislikes being in the city, so I figured you would be the best person to look after him. He shouldn't be too much trouble._

"Silver wants me to look after you?" Wally gasped in surprise, looking at the Gengar beside him as the electricity faded away to leave the room in semi-darkness again.

"Gengar!" The Pokemon grinned and gave him a thumbs-up sign, clearly delighted at the prospect. Kirlia seemed pleased as well, if the smile on her face and the happiness flowing through him was any indication.

"Well…I suppose you can stay…" Wally murmured, shocked at the level of trust Silver had in him. "If it's alright with my aunt and uncle, that is." he added, wondering what his relatives and neighbours would think. Smothering a yawn with his hand, the teen decided it was time to call it a night.

"Stay out of trouble, 'kay? And don't leave my room." he told Gengar as he climbed back into bed. The last thing he needed was for the ghost type to be seen before he had a chance to explain the matter.

"Gar!" the Pokemon replied with a salute, pulling the blankets up higher once he was settled. With Kirlia stretched out beside him and Gengar curled up at the foot of the bed, Wally sleepily realized he felt safer than he ever had in a long time.

"One of the army officers entrusted this Pokemon to you?" his uncle repeated doubtfully, glancing between his nephew and the Gengar next to him.

"Yes, Uncle. I promise I'll keep him hidden if you want, and take care of him completely. It should only be for a little while." Wally replied, hoping that his family would agree. He knew Silver was technically the enemy, but he saw the older teen as a friend now…and perhaps something more.

"What do you think?" his uncle asked, turning to look at his wife. Wally had shown both of them the letter Gengar had brought, and his aunt scanned it again before answering.

"I think that if this soldier trusts Wally with his Pokemon, then we should trust him too." she replied slowly, giving her nephew a faint smile of encouragement. His uncle sighed in response, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. The teen could understand why - news of this would be sure to get the neighbours talking, and who knew what could come of that.

"I suppose Gengar can stay…but I'm coming with you to tell the army about it. I don't want any trouble from them over this, and you need to go there anyway." he said at last, then turned to Wally with a stern look. "I'm going to hold you to your promise to look after this Pokemon. I know your parents wanted us to take care of you, but this is my house and you are obliged to follow them while you stay here. If Gengar causes any, and I mean _any_, trouble for us, he's going right back to the solider. Clear?"

Wally swallowed hard, knowing that was a hard thing for him to say. That would just make him work extra hard to keep the promise, though. "Clear." he replied solemnly.

"Gar." Gengar said a moment later, and his uncle nodded at both of them.

"Good…Good. Alright, let's go pay HQ a visit." the man said, straightening up and moving towards the door. Wally blinked as Gengar vanished, then followed his aunt's downward smile and realized his shadow was much darker than it should have been.

"Nice hiding spot. Don't do anything silly, ok?" he said with a small smile, his shadow giving him a thumbs up sign in response.

"Well, Gengar seemed friendly enough. Be careful out there, Wally." his aunt said, handing him back the letter and giving him an affectionate kiss on the cheek.

"We will. See you in a bit." he replied, giving her a smile in return and moving quickly after his uncle. If telling his family about Silver's Pokemon had been nerve-wracking, informing the army would be terrifying.

An army officer - Captain Maxie according to the patch on his uniform - regarded him coolly from the other side of the desk, gaze locked on Wally despite the presence of his uncle and Gengar. "What an interesting situation this is, yes?"

The teen kept his eyes fixed on the officer's impassive face, listening as his uncle replied cautiously, "Will having Gengar in my nephew's care be a problem, sir?"

"It shouldn't be." the man answered smoothly, his eyes running over the teen yet again. Wally was becoming uncomfortable with all the attention, but it wasn't his place to tell the officer to stop. "However, there are a few things I would like to discuss in private, if you don't mind."

"O-Of course not, sir. Excuse me." Wally listened as his uncle hurried out, trying not to show his fear. What did the captain want to talk about, and how would it affect his family?

"You too, Gengar. And don't try any tricks." the officer added, gaze flicking away towards the ghost type for a moment before settling back on the teen.

"Gengar…" the Pokemon replied softly, giving Wally a reassuring pat on the shoulder before exiting the room as well. Silence fell as the teen waited for the officer to speak, but the man did nothing except stare at him.

Summoning up his courage and hoping he wasn't making a mistake, Wally finally asked, "Is…Is there a problem, sir?"

"Well, aren't you a brave boy…No, there's no problem. I'm just surprised that Silver would entrust one of his oldest Pokemon to someone like you. Surprised…and a little curious." Pausing, the captain opened the folder that was on his desk and flipped through it, speaking again after a moment. "It said here that Silver confiscated a Ralts off of you, but returned it due to it being un-trainable. Now why would he give you Gengar if can't even raise your own Pokemon?"

Wally stiffened, fear flooding through him. Was he supposed to answer? _Could _he even answer? He had no idea if anyone else knew about the odd relationship he and Silver had. Perhaps it was against army regulations or something, and they would both be punished.

"You two know each other better than just mere acquaintances, don't you?" the captain pressed, closing the folder and leaning forward in his chair. He smiled faintly, but that did nothing to reassure Wally. "I understand that you want to protect your family, but there's no record of Silver buying or doing anything unusual that might be linked back to you. What is it, hm? Why is he so interested in you?"

That at least he could answer. Swallowing a cough that threatened to burst out, the teen felt his cheeks grow hot as he stammered, "I d-don't know, s-sir. R-Really."

"I see…" the captain murmured, leaning back in his chair and looking suddenly thoughtful. "You may go."

"Yes sir!" Rising quickly, Wally gave the officer a parting nod to show his respect, then hurried out of the office as fast as he could before his knees gave out.

"Ahhh!" Wally yelped as another explosion made his bed rattle, hearing screams in the distance. What was going on?

"Everyone out and head for the shelters!" his uncle shouted from the hallway as the raid siren started to wail.

"Be there in a minute!" the teen called back. Scrambling into his clothes, he happened to glance out the window in time to see Pokemon race by, one Absol loosing an attack as it when past.

"Resistance members? Here?" he murmured, flinching as another blur tore past the house. Judging by the dim light outside, it was just before dawn, but why where the resistance fighters attacking now? Verdanturf was occupied territory, surely they had to realize that an attack was useless?

"Kirlia, Gengar!" The former appeared from her Pokeball in a flash of white light, while the latter materialized out of the shadows of the room. Kirlia pointed towards the door, but the teen shook his head. "No, we're not going to the shelters. You know what the resistance fighters do - we have to protect the house."

"Gar!" Gengar clenched his fists and grinned, looking eager for a fight. Wally had managed to arrange some secret sparring lessons for the two Pokemon to keep them in shape, but now he wasn't sure those were enough. Leaving his room, the teen checked to make sure his family had left, then locked the front door. His family wouldn't be coming back once they reached the shelter and realized he wasn't coming, and if the resistance members were going to break in, it would through the back.

Gengar slid into Wally's shadow as the teen stationed himself outside the back door, Kirlia beside him. "Here we go…" he muttered to himself, feeling sweat break out on his back. The resistance had attacked before, but the army had always managed to fend them off before they reached the town. This time was different - he could see both aerial and ground-based Pokemon streaming towards the town from the north, and while the house blocked his view, he was sure more were coming from the other directions.

The ground shook again as something exploded nearby, the smell of fuel filling the air, then something red streaked overhead, hitting the ground and sliding to a halt. Wally narrowed his eyes as the resulting dust cloud swirled around the Pokemon, hands squeezing into fists. This was it. He had to protect his uncle's home, or die trying. But as the dust settled and a figure slipped from the Pokemon's shoulder to the ground, he froze in shock.

"N-No- way…" he murmured, taking in the sight of the young woman standing in front of him. "M-May?"

A faded red bandanna with a white Pokeball symbol was the only visual reminder of the young trainer with a cheerful Torchic who had helped him catch Ralts seven long years ago. The rest of her outfit consisted of durable, if somewhat ragged clothes. His shock was mirrored in Kirlia's feelings, and the psychic type edged closer to him as May's Blaziken took a threatening step towards them.

"We know each other, kid?" May asked, confusion and suspicion colouring her voice.

"Well…kinda. I'm Wally, and you helped me catch a Ralts on Route 102 a long time ago. You might not remember me, though…" he trailed off, feeling awkward. He hadn't expected to ever see May again once the invasion began, but to meet her like this was really weird.

"Oh. You're Wally?" she replied slowly, the light from nearby fires flickering off her face as she scanned him. "I can't believe it….it really _is_ you. But what are you doing here?"

"My parents sent me here after Rustboro was attacked." the teen explained, wondering if he could convince her to leave peacefully. As much as he hated to admit it, there were better houses to rob than his uncle's.

"I see. I don't want to do this Wally, but I'm going to have to ask you to let me in. There are valuable supplies in there, and we need them." May said firmly, Blaziken dropping into a crouch. So much for that idea, then.

"No." Wally replied, taking a deep breath to fight off the mounting fear. "This is my home, and I'm not going to let you rob it without a fight."

The resistance fighter gave a bitter smile and nodded as if she had known he was going to say that. "Go, Blaziken!"

As the Pokemon charged towards them, Wally quickly called, "Kirlia, use Confusion!"

"La~" His partner darted out in front of the teen, body glowing slightly as she summoned her psychic powers and directed them towards her opponent. Blaziken stumbled slightly as the attack hit, and Wally took the opportunity to back away and give them more room to fight.

Blaziken quickly regained its footing however, and dashed forward in a blinding Quick Attack, sending Kirlia tumbling. The teen swallowed hard, the difference in power between the two Pokemon apparent to even him. And judging by the faint smile on May's face, she was already envisioning her victory.

"Kir…lia…" his Pokemon struggled to her feet, the strain of battle weighing on Wally's mind through their link.

"Don't give up! You're strong, I know it." he whispered, gritting his teeth in sympathy for Kirlia's pain. Flames shot out of Blaziken's mouth in what looked like an Ember attack, but his Pokemon dodged them with a timely Double Team.

"Enough playing around! Finish this!" May called, eyes flicking briefly towards the house behind Wally. The teen knew he was going to lose this fight, but he wasn't going to just lay down and let a resistance member walk all over him. He had been letting the army do that for far too long.

"Ken! BLAZIKEN!" the human-like bird Pokemon bellowed, flames bursting from its wrists and ankles and it charged towards them again. Kirlia's body glowed once more, and while the teen was certain her Confusion attack had hit, their opponent didn't even slow down. Wally was forced to watch helplessly as Blaziken executed a flaming kick to his friend and partner, the attack knocking her aside easily.

He cried out at the shooting pain that knifed though his mind a second later, stumbling backwards in a daze. Kirlia was knocked out, that was certain, but he instinctively knew that she was also badly injured. Then he realized Blaziken was still moving, one clawed fist wreathed in flames and heading directly for _him_.

"Wha-ACK!" The sudden punch slammed intro his chest, sending the teen crashing through the back door of his uncle's home. Semi-conscious, he gagged on the smell of burnt fabric and flesh, fighting the blackness at the edge of his vision. Why…?

Blinking groggily, he saw Blaziken standing in the doorway, May just behind it. She was speaking, saying something about being forced to do it, that he could identify her and that she was sorry, but the teen closed his eyes and groaned as pain radiated from his chest. He didn't understand her. It wasn't right, attacking him like this. How had she changed from the kind trainer into this hard-eyed young woman?

Was this it? Was he actually going to die here? "No…" he murmured weakly, feeling tears prickle up. He had to see Silver again! They had so much to talk about, so much to share! He didn't want to die like this, die without saying goodbye. Die without confessing his feelings, as confused as they were.

"GENGAR!"

Wally forced himself to open his eyes at that, seeing that Gengar was standing in front of him now. Right, he remembered now. The Pokemon had been hiding in his shadow all along. May looked furious at this development; she shouted something, but the loud buzzing now filling he teen's ears prevented him from making out the words.

Electricity surrounded Gengar's fists in response, the sudden light making Wally squint. Blaziken's claws were once more hidden in flames, and the two Pokemon unleashed a flurry of punches at each other. The resistance member and her Pokemon were being forced back outside, but for some reason he couldn't concentrate on the battle. Just before his vision went black entirely, the teen thought he saw a small tornado engulf May and Blaziken, and a familiar figure hit the ground beside Gengar and turn towards him.


	3. Part 3

Part 3

Wally had no idea how much time had passed between the resistance attack and him regaining full consciousness, but judging by the yellow leaves that fluttered by his hospital window, it had been more than just a few days. The army doctors and nurses who treated him wouldn't answer any of his questions, leaving him feeling confused and quite lonely. Both Gengar and Kirlia were gone, but he could sense that his partner was recovering from her injuries just like he was. But of his family, May or Silver there was no news.

He was watching the rain fall one long autumn afternoon when things finally changed. The sound of the door hissing open made him turn away from the window, expecting to see a nurse with more pills or a fresh IV bag. Instead, he saw Captain Maxie, the raindrops on the brim of his cap shining from the fluorescent lights.

"H-Hello, s-sir." Wally stammered, quickly dropping his gaze to the floor. This couldn't be good at all. Worry and fear welled up within him, making his stomach twist into knots.

"Afternoon." the officer replied calmly, settling easily into the chair beside his bed. "I expected us to meet again, but not like this. Seems you got caught up in a bit of trouble, hm?"

The teen swallowed hard and simply nodded.

"Now, now, don't look so frightened. I'm here to talk to you, not eat you." Maxie replied with a low chuckle. Not the least reassured, Wally hesitantly raised his gaze to see the officer examining him closely. "So. Three fractured ribs, second degree burns, and a nasty concussion. Nothing to sneeze at, but I've seen worse injuries on those who crossed the resistance. Congratulations on surviving the battle."

The teen accepted that with a slow nod, not entirely sure if Captain Maxie was being sincere or not. Probably not, but he would take the compliment anyway. Wally did consider himself lucky to be alive, after all.

"But you probably want news about your family, yes?" the officer continued after a moment. Seeing his hopeful look, the man smiled faintly. "I am afraid I can't tell you too much about them, but there are alive and well. Your home also sustained some minor smoke and water damage. Nothing serious."

Unable to keep from smiling, Wally stared at the foot of his bed while he contained his grin and summoned up his courage. "Um…Will…Will I be able to see them soon, sir?" he asked cautiously.

"Unfortunately, no." Maxie paused to let his words sink in, then continued. "We offered to allow them to sit with you once we were able to identify you, but they declined. It seems many of the townspeople are blaming you for the attack."

"What?" Wally cried, then gasped and winced as pain shot through his chest. Breathing shallowly until it subsided, he blushed in embarrassment and stammered, "I-I mean…w-why's that, s-sir?"

Maxie gave him a level look for a long moment, then spoke. "It seems word of your friendship with Captain Silver was more widespread that I had thought, and this news reached the resistance. You of course know that they do not take kindly to any civilian who is overly friendly with us, especially in the less-important areas such as Verdanturf." The officer paused and sighed softly. "While I am only speculating, it may be that some in the resistance decided to punish the entire town for the actions of a few. Despicable, really."

"I see…" the teen felt angry, abandoned and shocked all at the same time. He hadn't done anything to bring Silver's attention on him, and it wasn't fair that everyone blamed him for the attack. There had to be other reasons! Wiping away tears that threatened to spill over, he sniffed and stared miserably at the blankets. If his own family wouldn't accept him, where was he to go now?

"I'm sorry." The unexpected apology made him focus back on the man beside him, and he realized that Maxie did look rather regretful, the cool exterior broken for just a moment. "You are more than welcome to remain on base while you recover, and I will do my best to assist you with any arrangements you wish to make made afterwards." the officer said stiffly, the cool mask sliding back into place as he rose from the chair.

"Thank you, sir." Wally said slowly, touched by his kindness. "Um…m-may I ask about C-Captain Silver?"

Maxie turned away from the door, considering the question. "He and his Pokemon are being disciplined for leaving their posts at the moment, but I will pass word onto him to come see you once he is available. Good day." Before the injured teen had a chance to respond, the officer was out the door.

The rest of his recovery seemed to pass by in a haze. Wally had never expected his own family to abandon him like this, but a small part of him could understand their reasons. Being seen as friendly with the army was a dangerous thing; it turned neighbours against each other and made life under occupation even more difficult than it already was. But the suddenly severed ties between him and his relatives stung. He had done his best to protect them, risking his own life to do so. He hadn't even gotten to say goodbye.

And May…He still had no idea what to think about that. Wally had never really considered what happened to all the trainers travelling around Hoenn when the invasion hit, but he supposed the resistance had to come from somewhere. How would she be treated? Would she be killed? He sincerely hoped not. Whatever kind of person she had become in the seven years since their brief meeting, she didn't deserve to be executed for trying to protect her home. But the army probably wouldn't see it that way, and there was little use in asking about her. He was a nobody.

Slowly, his situation began to improve, with his wounds healing and the medical staff becoming slightly more friendly towards him the longer he stayed. Kirlia was returned to him as well, along with strict orders not to let her out of her Pokeball. Still, their shared link and close proximity gave him added comfort during those endless autumn days and nights.

"You ready?" The doors to his room barely had time to hiss shut before the question was asked, and Wally took in the two bored-looking teenagers who was apparently his guards/escorts out of the army hospital with a nervous glance.

"Yeah…" he replied softly, rising from his spot on the bed. The few personal belongings that his relatives had sent over had been packed and taken away, Kirlia's Pokeball with them.

"Good." one of the soldiers replied, stepping forward and producing a pair of handcuffs. "Hands out, please."

Wally knew that they were necessary, but he hated the idea of being treated like a criminal. After all, he had done nothing wrong. He winced as the steel cuffs snapped around his wrists, the solider taking a moment to adjust them before nodding and grabbing his arm. "Let's go."

The other solider fell into step beside the teen as they exited the room and headed down the hall. He was glad to leave the place behind, since there was nothing but bad memories here. Nodding and smiling faintly to the staff he recognized, Wally tried to quell the churning in his stomach. He knew he was heading to the main base here in Verdanturf for questioning, but beyond that his future was uncertain. Where would he go? Where _could _he go? There were no free towns in Hoenn - they were either under occupation control, under resistance control, or under siege.

Signing out took less time than he thought, and it was a quick Jeep ride from the hospital to the main base. His two guards were silent most of the time, and Wally didn't have the courage to strike up a conversation with them. Being friends with one occupation solider had gotten him in enough trouble, he didn't need to make more for himself.

The teen eyed the HQ nervously as they drove up. It was two stories tall and heavily-guarded from what he could see. The windows were small and narrow, and the roof seemed to be bristling with all kinds of satellites and other electronic equipment. The last time he had been here was when Silver had sent Gengar to him, and it seemed the only change was to add more guards. The soldiers helped him out of the vehicle and escorted him inside, past the area that civilians were limited to, through a checkpoint and into the heart of the building itself.

"Crap! He's here already!" the solider on Wally's left hissed as they entered into what seemed to be the centre of operations and stopped. Wally glanced between the two guards then scanned the room, confused and even more worried that before. Most of the uniforms he saw were the typical black ones, among them scattered of groups wearing dark red, which he knew from past experience was the colours new recruits wore. But the soldiers with him seemed to be fixated on the middle of the room…

Another quick look confirmed why. There, leaning casually against what seemed to be the main reception area was a man in a bright red uniform. Wally stared for a moment, never having seen that colour on one of the occupation troops before. Judging by the guards whispered conversation, whoever it was had to be important. And terrifying.

"Whadda we do? We gotta resister this guy!"

"Maybe we can just wait in one of the back rooms 'til he leaves?"

"No, that won't work. We already signed in - you know the rules!"

"Damn! I almost want to take a week's worth of half-rations to avoid him…"

Both soldiers paused and groaned softly as they considered that prospect. "Best go in…" the one on Wally's left muttered sourly, then glanced sharply at him. "If you know what's good for you, keep your head down and your mouth shut. Got it?"

"Y-Yes sir!" the teen stammered back, quickly dropping his gaze to the floor and took several deep breaths. He hadn't had any coughing fits in a while, and now would be a horrible time for one to return. A tug on his arm made him move forward, and Wally kept his eyes fixed on the floor as his guards approached the centre desk.

"…just you wait, I'll be the one who leads the attack on Sinnoh. I deserve that honour more than anyone." a voice bragged as they walked up, and the teen realized it was the solider in the white uniform who was speaking. "Eh? What's this?" The voice belonged to a male, possibly around the same age as Silver, although it was hard to tell.

"We're here to register this guy for detainment and questioning, sir." one of the guards said stiffly, fear evident in his voice. Wally stiffened at his words. Detainment? He hadn't been told about that, but it wasn't like he had anywhere to go. Perhaps being held here was the best thing for him. It wasn't like he was welcome in town.

"Detainment and questioning, huh? This kid one of those cowardly resistance members?" the red uniformed soldier asked, black boots appearing in Wally's vision as he took a step closer. "I heard you had some trouble with them recently."

"No sir, he's not. It's…uh…complicated." the other soldier answered nervously.

"Well, you go right ahead and sign this 'complicated' kid in while I take a good look at him." the older solider sneered, jerking Wally's head up with a hard pull of his hair. The teen gritted his teeth against the sudden pain, but said nothing, simply staring back as the solider looked him over critically. With sharp green eyes and spiky light brown hair, he appeared to be in his early twenties. The front of his uniform was also decorated with the medals he had received, marking him as someone highly important in the army. But what stood out the most was way he was examining Wally, for it reminded him uncomfortably of his first meeting with Silver. The soldiers shared the same hard gaze, but this man's eyes seemed especially cold.

"So…if you're not a resistance member, why are you in cuffs? Someone here hoping to have a bit of fun?" the solider drawled, releasing his hair but sliding a gloved hand underneath his chin to keep their eyes locked. Wally tried to remember to breathe, his cuffed hands curling into fists as the solider kept staring at him. For some reason, he was terrified of the young man, and he had no idea why.

"Er…he was injured in a fight with the resistance, sir. Captain Maxie thought it best to keep him here for the moment…" one of his guards explained hesitantly, breaking the awkward silence that had fallen.

"Has being stuck in a backwater post turned Maxie into a soft-hearted fool? He's a disgrace to our organization! He should never have been made captain in the first place, past leadership or not!" the soldier confronting Wally snorted in derision. It was only by virtue of the fact that the teen was paying attention that he caught the flash of realization that spread across the man's face a second later.

"Hold on…" the solider breathed, leaning closer until they were practically nose-to-nose. "I've heard about you! You're Silver's little pet!" Wally felt himself turn red as shame rushed through him. Was that really how everyone on the base saw him? A pet to be coddled but ultimately ignored? That would explain why no one told him anything. He desperately wanted to say something, _anything_, but the warning from earlier lingered in his mind and made him keep silent.

The young man chuckled at his expression, clearly pleased with the reaction he had gotten. He opened his mouth to say something else, but a sudden hand on his shoulder cut him off. "What is it?" the solider snapped instead, turning away from Wally to confront the intruder. Craning his neck slightly, the teen looked at his apparent saviour, realizing that the other person had been there all along without him noticing.

The young man appeared to be about the same age as the red uniformed solider, but that was where their similarities ended. In fact, they seemed to be perfect contrasts to each other - the soldier's companion wore a dark grey uniform with no distinguishing rank or medals, had black hair and dim red eyes. Wally watched as the grey uniformed soldier shook his head and made a slashing motion with his free hand, all the while staring at the other solider.

"All right, I get it! Don't take it so personally…" the man muttered sourly, focusing back on the teen again with a cold look on his face. "Best behave yourself, kid. Be sure to tell Silver I said hi." he sneered, releasing Wally's chin and stepping back. Gasping with relief, Wally staggered backward and quickly focused on the floor tiles as he fought back tears. The pair of soldiers scared him, even though he didn't understand why.

"Come on." The gentle order along with a hand on his shoulder man the teen jump and whip his head up to stare at solider who had startled him. It was one of the ones who had escorted him here, so he realized he must now be 'registered' as per regulations. "Sorry…" the teenage solider apologized, giving him a small, tense smile as they moved away from the reception desk. "I guess we're all a bit freaked out with him around."

Glancing over his shoulder to make sure they were well out of earshot, Wally looked back to his guard and asked hesitantly. "Um…who _is_ he, exactly?"

"Colonel Oak. But he's better known as the Crimson Hurricane." the guard answered with a shiver. "Don't know all the details, but he's been called that ever since he levelled Cinnabar Island in Kanto, apparently."

"I see…thanks." he murmured, worry twisting his stomach into knots. Hopefully the Colonel wouldn't take an interest in him like Silver had - he didn't think he could stand the strain of _that_ happening. Shuddering himself at the thought of that possibility, Wally quietly followed the down a corridor and into a waiting elevator.

As the door slid shut, he glanced at the guard, seeing that the other teenager looked more relaxed. "H-How long am I going to b-be kept here?" he stammered nervously, hoping light conversation was ok.

"Not sure…that'll be up to Captain Maxie." the solider replied with a shrug. "He probably won't keep you here if you don't want to stay though. Personally, I wouldn't worry about that. The Captain's not all that bad, once you get to know him a little. It's the ones like Colonel Oak you gotta watch out for." Nodding silently, the teen followed his escort out as the elevator opened with a soft chime to reveal a small reception area staffed by two people, both women.

The older of the two looked up from her computer screen and offered the pair a faint smile as she rose. "Hello Ethan, nice to see you again. And you must be Wally. We've been waiting for you." she said kindly.

"Yeah…" he answered warily, wondering exactly what the army had in store for him. This woman had the disposition and appearance of a motherly nurse, but he wasn't about to let his guard down now.

"Sorry about that, we ran into Colonel Oak and got delayed." his escort said easily, prodding Wally closer to the desk.

"Well then, that explains everything!" the woman replied with a grimace, the other staff member nodding and muttering in agreement. "Your things has been put in Room Number Four, Wally. If you have any problems, don't hesitate to come get one of us." she added, addressing him with a sweet smile.

"Ok. Thanks." he replied hesitantly, quickly following his escort down yet another hallway with numbered doors on either side. Sure enough, the stopped at the door labelled '4', and the solider quickly removed Wally's handcuffs and stepped aside.

"There you go. Good luck with whatever you decide to do." the younger teenager said with a faint smile.

"Thanks. I hope things go well for you too." Wally responded, returning the smile before turning away and opening the door. He faintly heard the solider walk away, but he was far more interested in examining his new room. It was plain but comfortable, more like a hotel room than a jail cell, which he was pleased about.

Quickly spotting Kirlia's Pokeball on the table beside the bed, he ran over and opened it, his partner and friend emerging from the familiar flash of light with a joyous cry of "Kirlia! La~ Kirlia!"

"I missed you too!" Wally replied, embracing the Pokemon tightly. Being unable to see her during his recovery had made him feel nearly as lonely as he had been when Silver had taken her away. Only the link between them and the knowledge that her Pokeball was always nearby had prevented him from sinking into complete despair. Slowly, he loosened the hug, drawing back to look once more at his new room. He hoped that he wouldn't have to stay here very long, but his future was a big unknown at this point.

"Come on, let's settle in." he said, releasing Kirlia and giving her a smile. He had only a box and a small bag to unpack, but doing that was better than doing nothing. Perhaps unpacking would keep the lurking worry about Silver and May out of his mind.


	4. Part 4

Part 4

Wally lounged on his bed, only half-watching the TV that sat in the corner of the room. It was showing a live broadcast of the latest challenger to face the Kanto Elite Four, and the pre-teen girl was doing a fine job. Not that it mattered much - the Gym Leaders and Elite Four members were just people loyal to the Rockets who had started the attack, and the shattered Pokemon League had been revived to project an air of normalcy in the occupied regions. He had no idea how the people there put up with such an obvious lie.

"Look at that, Kirlia," he murmured softly as the girl's Blastoise took down the last Pokemon of the Elite Four and promptly celebrated, "They're a great team, the same as us. It's amazing how such bonds can develop in times like these…"

"Kirlia, la." his Pokemon replied, snuggling closer. Patting her head fondly, Wally wondered what would happen to the girl. Would she be forced to join the Rockets, or would her beloved Pokemon get taken away? It was a question he couldn't answer. It was a question he might not _want_ answered.

"La?" Kirlia lifted her head from his chest and looked towards the door. The teen did the same, wondering if he was going to be scolded for watching TV when he should be asleep. The staff out front didn't seem to care what he did as long as he didn't cause trouble, but that could change in an instant.

As expected, the door opened, but the person on the other side wasn't who Wally had been expecting.

"Si-er, Captain Silver…?" he said softly, scrambling off the bed and taking a few steps towards the older teen. Wally wanted to shout, to run into Silver's arms and never leave, to cry, be he couldn't. The room could be bugged, and he didn't want to do anything to further jeopardize his stay here.

Silver stared back at him for a moment, then calmly entered the room and shut the door behind him. Neither spoke for a moment, and only the low chatter from the TV broke the silence.

"Wally." the young man started, then hesitated. The teen stood frozen, unable to speak or even think properly. His joy at seeing the captain was tempered by everything that had happened since they last met, and it all resulted in a churning panic in his stomach. What was he to do?

"Wally…" he repeated, and his calm expression began to crumble. A moment later Wally's face was pressing into his shoulder, and Silver was giving him a tight hug. "Idiot…Didn't I tell you not to call me captain? And what were you thinking, fighting a resistance member like that?" Silver growled, but the teen knew he wasn't really upset.

The panic in his stomach had eased slightly since Wally took Silver's action as a sign that the room wasn't bugged. But there were other issues to address. "I…I'm sorry!" he sniffed, trying to hold back tears. Distantly, he felt Kirlia hug his leg, adding physical support to the mental support flowing through him.

"I'm sorry…" he said again, allowing the tears to fall as Silver loosened his embrace. "I-I just w-wanted to pr-protect everyone…Didn't m-mean to get you in tr-trouble…" There was more to say, but he was crying too hard to talk. The stress and pain and fear that he had been holding in since the night of the attack burst out all at once, and he clung to Silver for support. Wally didn't want to ever be apart from him like that again, no matter what happened or how unlikely that possibility was.

Silver guided him to the bed after a minute or two, comforting the teen with both soft words and a gentle hug. Kirlia joined them as well, and their combined efforts eventually helped stop his tears.

"Sorry…" Wally muttered, feeling a headache start to build behind his eyes. Silver just snorted softly and held out a handkerchief, sitting quietly beside him as the teen cleaned himself up a little. Handing it back with a hesitant smile, he worked up the courage to ask, "You rescued me, right?"

"Yeah." the captain replied quietly, removing his cap and unbuttoning the top few buttons of his uniform. "As soon as word came in about the attack, I came to find you. Arrived just in time to help capture that resistance member and a bunch of others, otherwise they would have escaped."

"How did you get here so fast?"

"Borrowed a Pidgeot. They can fly at incredibly fast speeds, and, as it turned out, are useful in fighting Blaziken." Silver looked a little smug at that, but his expression turned serious again after a moment.

"Oh…Um, thank you for coming, even if it got you in trouble." Wally said awkwardly. Silver had basically saved his life, since Gengar had been an equal match for May's Pokemon. Without the ghost Pokemon and the captain's timely arrival, he would have died. Thinking about that made the teen remember all the thought he had put into the odd relationship that existed between them. Was now the time to raise the matter? But if not now, when?

"The punishment was worth it." Silver replied stiffly, and Wally smiled a little. It was just like him to brush off any thanks like that. "Are you fully healed, then? What are you going to do now?"

The teen frowned at that, the bed creaking as he shifted. "Yeah, I'm pretty much healed. And…I don't know." The villagers clearly didn't want him, and he doubted his family would move just to accommodate him. For all he knew, his parents were dead, and returning home alone was dangerous. He paused, taking a deep breath before asking what might be the most important question of his life. "If…If the army allows it, can I stay with you?"

"Stay with me?" Silver repeated, looking surprised and confused. "Why would you want to do that?"

"Because…Because I don't want to be away from you ever again. I know it sounds weird, but I really like you and I want to stay with you if at all possible." Wally said quickly, dropped his gaze to the floor and hoping he wasn't making a mistake. Colonel Oak's words ran through his mind, and the teen bit his lip. He knew Silver didn't consider him his pet, but if everyone else saw it like that, then Wally would just have to find some way to live with it.

"You like me…? Even after I took Ralts from you and treated you like crap?" Silver said, and Wally looked up at that.

"You were just doing your job, like any other solider would. And you didn't treat me that bad - not like you could have. So yes, I like you, Silver." Wally stated firmly.

The older teen looked away then, turning slightly to focus on the TV in the corner. "I don't understand it, I'll admit that much." he said after a few minutes. "But…I like you too, Wally. I never though I'd feel this way again, but something in you appeals to me. I have no idea if we can make this thing work, but I'm willing to try."

"I'm willing to try too." Wally said, and Silver turned back to him then, a faint smile on his face. Wally froze in surprise as the older teen leaned in and kissed him, feeling himself start to blush. The captain drew back after a moment, his own cheeks red.

"Good. Kirlia, are you ok with this?" the captain asked, looking over to the Pokemon.

"Kirlia, la. Kirlia!" Wally's partner replied with a vigorous nod, and Wally chuckled as pleasure flowed through him.

"Yeah, she's fine with this. Um…can you stay for a while? I'd really like that." the teen asked hesitantly, and Silver kissed him again before answering.

"I have a meeting with Captain Maxie and a few other higher-ups in the morning, so I can't stay the night, but I can definitely stay for a little while." Swinging his legs onto the bed, Silver stretched out and gestured to the TV. "Please tell me there's something better than this fake stuff on."

"There might be. I haven't really checked." Grabbing the remote from the bedside table, Wally curled up next to the young man and handed the remote over.

The plane lifted off the runway as snow flurries fell, and Wally pressed his nose to the window to take in the view. A light dusting of snow covered the rubble of destroyed buildings, softening the jagged edges and scorched ground caused by five long years of war. But humans and Pokemon were working together to rebuild the city, and Wally hoped it would one day be a beautiful and vibrant place to live in like it had been in the past. He was sure that was the same hope the residents of Mauville had.

Still, the sight of the war-torn city made his heart break. Was this what the other regions had to endure? How had they managed it? Hoenn was his home, and as much as he hated leaving it, it was probably for the best. There were just as many bad memories as good memories here, and his family was as good as dead to him now. Turning away from the window as the plane rose into the low clouds hanging over the city, he sighed.

"You ok?" Silver asked softly, squeezing his knee gently. It had taken until late autumn to get permission for Wally to accompany the captain, but he had eventually been allowed to do so.

"I'll be fine." Wally replied, giving him a small smile. And he would be, in time. Once the heartache and the memories faded, he would come to embrace his new life. Besides, he was with Silver and Kirlia, and that was all that mattered. Feeling spontaneous, he learned over and gave the older teen a kiss on the cheek, getting a snort and a smile in return.

"We are in public, you know."

"I know. But it's not like anyone's watching." Wally responded, settling back in his seat. They were at the back of the small plane, and the other passengers were either asleep or not paying any attention to them.

"Mmm. Still. Discretion is something you better learn if you want to stay out of trouble." Silver said with a smirk.

"I've been doing that for years, and look where it got me!" the teen replied playfully.

"I guess that's true…" Silver conceded the point with a nod, looking past Wally at the clouds streaming by the window.

Knowing that it was going to be a long flight to Johto, Wally dug a book out of Silver's bag and flipped to where he had left off. It was an unofficial history of the early years of the war by an anonymous author. He had no idea how or why Silver had such a book in his possession, but it was interesting to read about how the war began from a non-occupation army point of view. He just hoped the author had survived and was making a living for themselves somewhere.

Wally stood on the front porch of the home he and Silver shared, looking south towards Blackthorn City. Not that the settlement in the valley below could be called a city anymore, what with the massive destruction caused by a year-long siege. Silver had said the army had learned a valuable lesson from Blackthorn, a lesson they had applied in Hoenn.

Now Blackthorn was a small but vibrant town, home to a training base for new army recruits. Silver was an instructor there, and he seemed happy enough with the position. As for himself, Wally had adjusted nicely in the six months since they had left Hoenn, his health improving even further in the pure mountain air. He had made a few friends and had caught and trained some local Pokemon, but Kirlia was still his number one partner.

"Lovely morning, isn't it?" Wally didn't move as Silver joined him, sliding an arm comfortably around his waist.

"Beautiful." the teen agreed, snuggling closer. Snow still clung to the mountaintops despite the warm weather, but the constant sunshine helped dispel the chill that lingered in the air.

"So, how's it feel to be seventeen?" Silver murmured, nuzzling his neck. Wally's birthday had been just last week, and they had celebrated it best they could on a captain's salary.

"Good, I guess. So much has changed since my last birthday - a year ago, I didn't even know you, and I thought my life would never change."

"If there's one thing I've learned since this war began, it's that things happen when you least expect them." Silver murmured quietly, and Wally nodded in silent agreement. There were things his lover wasn't yet willing to share, and he accepted that. It was all he could do, really. The war had affected everyone in different ways, and he knew everyone reacted differently to their changed lives. All they could do was live as best they could.

"Did I hear a planeload of new recruits arrive last night?" he asked softly, watching Blackthorn slowly come to life in the valley below.

"Yeah, they arrived. I'll probably have the teach the brats how to throw a Pokeball correctly." Silver grumbled good-naturedly, then tugged Wally backwards. "Come on, breakfast is almost ready."

"I'll be there in a sec." the teen replied, and he shivered slightly as his lover slipped back inside their home, taking his body heat with him. _Home_. Wally would have never dreamed that his home would be in a place like this, but he was happy to no longer be living under a cloud of anxiety and uncertainty.

Giving one last look out across the valley, Wally smiled to himself and went inside to see what Silver had made for them.


End file.
